Toyota is the latest company to join the non-profit Linux Foundation, which is dedicated to accelerating the growth of the open-source operating system.

Addition of non-IT firm seen as significant move

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Toyota is the latest company to join the non-profit Linux Foundation, which is dedicated to accelerating the growth of the open-source operating system.

The car maker said it was joining the Linux Foundation as a Gold member to maximise its own investment in Linux "while fostering open innovation throughout the automotive ecosystem".

As a Gold member, Toyota is one of the few major members of the Linux Foundation that is not mainly a technology supplier. Other large group members include Google, BT, Fujitsu, Hitachi, HP, Oracle, Intel, IBM and Nokia.

"Linux gives us the flexibility and technology maturity we require to evolve our in-vehicle-infotainment (IVI) and communications systems to address the expectations of our customers," said Kenichi Murata, project general manager for electronics development at Toyota.

Murata said the Linux Foundation "provides us with a neutral forum in which we can collaborate with the world's leading technology companies on open innovation that accelerates that evolution."

Jim Zemlin, executive director of the Linux Foundation, said, "Toyota's leadership and proven innovation will bring important contributions to the advancement of Linux. The firm's investment in Linux is a testament to the ubiquity of the operating system and its ability to support the latest market requirements."